


The Coat

by a_little_hope (orphan_account)



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), The Last Jedi
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Christmas Fluff, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-22
Updated: 2017-12-22
Packaged: 2019-02-18 06:39:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13094523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/a_little_hope
Summary: a backup fic for secret santa, if anyone doesn't receive a fic, this one's for you





	The Coat

Every Christmas, a girl walked into Ben Solo’s coffee shop. She ordered the same the same black coffee (the cheapest coffee on the menu) and sat down near the heater. She’d never talk as he made her order, merely stated that her name was Rey and took her order. Ben noticed that she was working up the courage to walk back out into the Seattle cold. “Rey,” She was zoned out, her fingers drumming absentmindedly on the table in front of her. 

 

Ben looked around, there was no one else in the shop. He jumped the counter and set her coffee down in front of her. She nearly jumped out of her skin. “Oh, sorry.” That was the most she’d ever said to him before. “Was out of it,” That Christmas he noticed she was British. 

 

“No problem,” He tells her. He’s about to go back to the register when he asked, “Do you have a coat?” 

 

She looked at him for a second, wondering what to say, before finally admitting in what Ben thought was shame, “No.” His heart tugged in his chest as he stared down at her. Without another word, he grabbed his tip jar and pulled out the forty dollars he’d earned earlier that day. “Oh you don’t-” 

 

“No, I want to.”  He handed her the forty dollars, “Take it.” He insisted. “Merry Christmas,” 

 

The next time he saw her, it was a year later. She was wearing a green coat and her hair was in three buns. She reached over the counter and gave him an envelope, then bought her usual black coffee and sat down in her usual spot. 

 

Ben opened it when there was no one else in the shop, save Rey. 

 

_ Dear Ben the barista boy,  _

 

_ I want to thank you for the forty dollars you gave me last year. At the time, it was rather humiliating to me, probably because of my pride, but I think that forty dollars might have been the thing that saved my life. You see, when you gave me that forty dollars I was evicted from my apartment and was resorting to sleeping out on the street.  _

 

_ That winter was so cold that I might’ve died of hypothermia if I hadn’t gotten a good coat. So thank you for that. Now I have a good job and a much better apartment and I want to thank you for playing a role in that.  _

 

_ Sincerely, Rey _

 

_ P.S. Look in the envelope.  _

 

Forty dollars. 

 

Ben looked over the register to see if she was still near the heater. She was gone. He wondered if it would be until  next Christmas before he saw her again. 

Sure enough, it was. 

 

This time Rey ordered a Chai Latte, and she looked like she was doing quite well for herself. Ben made a point to sit next to her on her break. “How are you doing?” He asked. 

 

“Good,” She said. They talked like they were friends, despite the fact that they only shared a few sentences together before. She was still there when it was time to close. When he pointed this out, she looked disappointed, and Ben took another chance. “If I give you my keys will you wait in my car?” She raised an eyebrow. “I mean, so we could possibly go somewhere… if you wanted to.” 

 

She smiled. “Are you asking me out on a date?” 

 

“Yes,”   _ God he was so bad at this.  _

 

“Give me your keys, Ben.” She said. “I’ll wait for you.”  


End file.
